DRIVERS will have to pay and display around the pier bandstand on the Esplanade with councillors approving changes to combat traffic congestion.

A meeting of the Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s planning and traffic committee approved a traffic regulation order (TRO) which aims to improve safety for pedestrians and drivers while enhancing the street scene and seafront.

Year-round pay and display parking will be introduced to bring this end of the Esplanade in line with arrangements along the rest of seafront, introduced in 2003.

It will also apply to spaces on the opposite side of the Esplanade between the Prince Regent Hotel and Lennox Street.

There will be free unlimited parking for blue badge holders, while the council committee also agreed to reduce proposed overnight charges to £1 to take into account the location of the area.

The council runs on-street car parking in the borough under contract from Dorset County Council and the £46,000 works costs of this project will be split between the two councils.

This order does not include any changes to parking arrangements in Brunswick Terrace.

Borough council transport and infrastructure brief holder Christine James said: “These improvements will completely transform this area so that it becomes an attractive part of our seafront.

“At the moment this area is really congested and cluttered, and this work will improve safety and access massively for both drivers and pedestrians.

“This is about bringing this end of the Esplanade in line with the other end to stop people hogging spaces all day long so there’s a greater turnover of people able to visit and park.

“This is part of the council’s parking review which has already seen parking charges slashed and free overnight parking introduced in many borough council run car parks.”